Preservation Hall Jazz Band at the College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center, 10/26/10

By GREG HAYMES
Special to the Times Union
ALBANY – First, Hurricane Katrina…

Then the British Petroleum oil “spill”…

Yeah, let’s just say that the 21st century hasn’t been particularly kind to the Gulf Coast in general, and New Orleans in particular.

But the hearty denizens of the Crescent City carry on, due in large part to the magnifcent, magical music that they conjure up out of their despair.

On Tuesday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center for the Arts, New Orleans’ finest tradition-bearers, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, made a glorious sound that had the crowd clapping along and, eventually, even dancing out of their seats and into the abnormally warm autumn evening air at the end of the night.
There are no tricks for the seven-piece band. From the opening salvo of their first tune – “Basin Street Blues,” of course – they just sat there on those beautiful, mismatched wooden chairs and blew their horns like Gabriel. Trumpeter Mark Brand was at the helm – having taken over the reins from his uncle, John Brunious, who passed away in 2008. Trombonist Freddie Lonzo added that distinctive sliding growl to the mix. And young saxophonist Clint Maedgen spiced up the procedings as well.

But it was 78-year-old clarinetist Charlie Gabriel who carried the day, wailing and moaning on his licorice stick with the vitality and imagination of a musician one-third of his age. He simply stole the show with his mournful solo during the first, slow-tempo funeral march of the gospel classic, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” which closed out the band’s first set. And when the song kicked into double-time (for the parade back from the cemetery), Gabriel was blowing his horn in the lead once again.

Sousaphonist-bassist-creative director Ben Jaffe (the son of Preservation Hall founders Allan and Sandra Jaffe) teamed up with Gabriel for the opening duet of the second half, coaxing the crowd to clap along in a syncopated New Orleans parade beat. Pianist Rickie Monie had his turn in the spotlight with a solo showcase. And drummer Joe Lastie just kept that beat pumping along, effortlessly.

That what the Preservation Hall Jazz Band is all about. There’s a natural grace and ease to the music they play. They just keep on keeping on – like the rest of New Orleans. Ain’t nothing gonna stop ‘em…

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The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26
Where: Massry Center for the Arts, College of Saint Rose, Madison Ave., Albany
Running time: First set – One hour; Second set – 25 minutes
Musical highlights: “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” “Bourbon Street Parade,” “Shake It and Break It”
The crowd: Sold out in advance
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Greg Haymes is a freelance writer from the east side of the Hudson.